Don't get me wrong, there are allot of good rigs out there, if you use your radio to rag chew with your buddies the 950 is a fine rig, maybe a little dxing but try doing that when a contest weekend is going on, the 950 will get swamped with signals and you will find out what it means on those blocking number's when they test out the RX side of radio's in lab tests. If you like DXing and wanna get your feet wet into contesting the 590 is head and shoulders above the 590 and even barks up the back door of rigs like FTDX5000 and the K3. It seems to me that kenwood had taken there time to bring the 590 to market, they had to make a radio that was a cut above what else was in it price range and they did, they now own the price range. Yes the TT Eagle is also an excellent rig as well but like the Icon IC7410 they option you to death and the price goes up. The K3 is also a very good rig but ya gotta like a rig that looks like only a mother could love, its kinda heathkit/military like plus the multi function knob/button arrangement is not the easiest to learn so it takes some getting use to but to me its an ugly radio. Right now the 590 is selling 6:1 against mot other rigs out there and that's even against higher priced rigs. It did take me getting used to a smallish rig at first but the more I use the 590 the more I like what its all about, great RX/TX, very easy to use, with the FREE software the rig has even more bells than allot of rigs, easy remote computer control, its like having a DSR and a front panel as well (sorry flex user's I just can't warm up to a box and a computer idea, the flex is a techy type radio). I am sure the TS990 will be very good as well but it's gotta blow many rigs outa the water for $8K, I feel Kenwood should have brought out a TS890 series first then the flag ship, something in the $3k-$4k range, They have a chance to get a good share of the market I just hope they have there marketing down right cause they were almost at one point not even running. You will enjoy the 590, good luck.

OK, this is PURE HERETIC talk, but I am going to take a look at the 590. I have been SO happy with the 520S, then the 570, and the 480.

Yes, I am a very satisfied Flex 3000 owner, but you guys (and everyone else) keeps raving on and on about it with facts and observations to back it up. I think I need to take another look. I do use the 480 and 570 occasionally, so...

Hey guys, thanks for the sound advice. Since my last post, I have also upgraded my license to General! I got licensed when I was just 13 and am just returning to the hobby after nearly 10 years away. So far, I have spent a few weeks with the radio and now feel pretty comfortable with it. Needless to say, I have 0% regret pulling the trigger on this radio. The filters are everything everyone said they would be. I can't believe how much you can clean up a poor signal due to QRM/QRN. I am still just working with a hamtenna dipole @ 23' and only on 10M. When the weather gets better I will be putting up more antennas. However, if I can hear them on 10, no matter how crappy their signal is (before filters), I can work them! Sometimes I swear I am on FM and not SSB!!

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